Compound Microscopes

• Monocular microscopes and binocular microscopes are often collectively referred to as compound microscopes as they contain multiple lenses (even though stereo microscopes technically are also compound microscopes as they also contain two lenses).

• Apart from the number of eyepieces, monocular microscopes and binocular microscopes operate in the same way. Binocular microscopes usually have a higher magnification and are more expensive.

• Binocular microscopes produce a two-dimensional image despite having two eyepieces because the image viewed through each eyepiece is the same.

• Compound microscopes are used for viewing thin sections of specimens. The specimen is placed on a microscope slide and light is passed through the specimen to the eyepiece.

• Compound microscopes are useful for viewing small objects such as cells.

Compound microscopes are used for viewing thin sections of samples mounted on a slide.

(Image: PxFuel)